Game Informer

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is out now, and if you're anything like us, you're playing through it, trying to find every secret the game has to offer (read our review right here). The two main collectibles come in the form of 10 Flower Coins and Wonder Seeds. Each main stage has three 10 Flower Coins for you to collect, while each main stage features at least two Wonder Seeds for you to grab. While the Wonder Seeds are tied to each exit a stage has, you also get one for collecting a Wonder Flower and completing the corresponding Wonder Effect. 

Below, you'll see the locations of every single 10 Flower Coin (we'll just call them Flower Coins from here on out) and Wonder Seed. Some of them are more easily attained with certain Badges, while others require a bit of hunting around or a skillful, well-timed sequence of jumps. Since this is all about revealing the locations of the game's main collectibles, proceed with caution if you are concerned about spoilers for how the stages play out, but also for the existence of certain elements, enemies, and even areas in the game. But if you're in this guide, we're pretty sure you already know what you're getting into. Without further ado, here is the list of every Flower Coin and Wonder Flower in Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

In September of last year, Electronic Arts' Motive Studio revealed it was working on a single-player Iron Man game as the first part of a new EA/Marvel collaboration. Motive general manager Patrick Klaus has shared new details about the game in a studio update released today, including that the Iron Man game is being developed in Unreal Engine 5. 

Motive released its Dead Space remake earlier this year, and Klaus says with that behind them, the studio's focus "has switched to the Iron Man project, giving us the opportunity to work (and play!) with another extraordinary property." He says the team is still in early pre-production and taking its time to set the best possible foundation for development, but despite that, it is finding "so many opportunities to explore story, design, and gameplay with Iron Man." 

If you've been keeping up with developer Free Range Games' upcoming base-building survival game set in J.R.R. Tolkien's landmark universe, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria, there's a chance you caught an early glimpse at its world map.

However, that wasn't final. And now, Game Informer can exclusively share the first-ever look at Return to Moria's final map, in full detail, as well as two different variants. In the gallery below, you'll find the final map in English, a second in English with annotations, and a third in the Runic Alphabet language from The Lord of the Rings. 

Here's your first look at the final world map in The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria:

One Punch Man is great and often hilarious manga/anime about Saitama, the namesake of the franchise, who defeats every foe he encounters with one punch. It functions both as a great parody of anime characters who are constantly struggling to become stronger and as great action anime on its own. As a video game, however, it struggles somewhat as Saitama must defeat everyone in one punch, which isn't particularly fun gameplay, forcing you to play as the many other characters of the franchise, who sadly aren't Saitama.

One Punch Man: World is currently in closed beta and while it doesn't particularly solve any of those issues, it does look great and showcase some impressive action. It is a free-to-play game, though, which means there are gacha mechanics and lots of different currencies to deal with. Join Marcus Stewart and me as we check out the game and share our thoughts on the One Punch Man anime.

Head over to Game Informer's YouTube channel for more previews, reviews, and discussions of new and upcoming games. Watch other episodes of New Gameplay Today right here.

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Developer: Colossal Order
Release: October 24, 2023 (PC), 2024 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)
Rating: Everyone

In the technical world of city-builders, 2015’s Cities: Skylines made a name for itself as an uncompromising but delicate game where players needed to spin a variety of municipal plates to keep things in order across their fantasy cities. Eight years and millions of digital building permits later, Colossal Order has returned to construct a convincing sequel in Cities: Skylines II. The iterative additions don’t arrive without consequential imperfections, but Cities: Skylines II still boasts all the intricacy and customizability necessary to provide players with a challenging and deep city-building experience.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is almost here – less than 24 hours to go until its October 20 launch exclusively on PlayStation 5. We loved the game – you can read Game Informer's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 review here – and we're excited to hear what our audience thinks of it. We've got plenty of spoiler-free Marvel's Spider-Man 2 tips for you to read before you start your next spidey adventure, but here, I want to discuss what I think is the best graphics mode in the game. 

Now, before diving deep into the minutia of the technology behind developer Insomniac Games' various visual settings for Marvel's Spider-Man 2, I want to preface this by saying the best graphics mode requires a TV or monitor with a 120 HZ refresh rate. A lot of monitors have done this for years, and since the launch of the PlayStation 5 generation in 2020, more and more TVs capable of this refresh rate have been released (but admittedly, they do cost a pretty penny). 

If you missed out on our Marvel's Spider-Man 2 live stream this morning, fear not! You can watch the entire archive right here. Join editor Marcus Stewart as he plays Spider-Man 2 from the very beginning. This video features the entire opening boss sequence, a look at some early abilities and gadgets, as well as a few peeks into Peter and Miles' stories. To catch our livestreams as they air, be sure to subscribe to our Twitch channel!

For more on Marvel's Spider-Man 2, check out our review. We've also put together some spoiler-free beginner tips here. 

This year has been incredible for video games, October is a particularly good month, and this week alone is impressively stacked. Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Sonic Superstars all release this week – and we've played them. Brian Shea kicks of the show with his Super Mario Bros. Wonder review impressions, Marcus Stewart talks about his Sonic Superstars review, and the whole crew talks about their time with Marvel's Spider-Man 2 before we finish out with a handful of questions.

Follow us on social media: Kyle Hilliard (@KyleMHilliard), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Brian Shea (@BrianPShea), and Charles Harte (@ChuckDuck365).

Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: GameMill Entertainment
Developer: Ludosity, Fair Play Labs
Release: November 7, 2023

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is almost here – just one more day until it hits PlayStation 5 exclusively on October 20. We loved it – read Game Informer's review of it here – and are excited for everyone to get their hands on it. Yesterday, we learned Insomniac Games recommends players download the day one patch for the "best experience" before starting the first mission, and now, we've learned when to expect the fan-favorite New Game Plus feature in the sequel. 

As first reported by PlayStation Lifestyle, someone asked Insomniac Games community director James Stevenson if New Game Plus and mission replay will be in the game at launch. Stevenson said, "No, we're working on an update for those features but they won't be in Day 1."

No - we’re working on an update for those features but they won’t be in Day 1

After years of waiting, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 hits the PS5 on October 20th, and if you've read our glowing review, you know how excited we are to cover it. That said, nobody would blame you if you're a little rusty with Insomniac's fast-paced combat system, and they definitely wouldn't blame you if you needed some tips to handle all the new features the game has to offer. Luckily, we've gathered sixteen pieces of advice right here to help you get back into the (literal) swing of things. Fire up your PlayStation 5; here are some beginner tips for Marvel's Spider-Man 2.

A Guide To Parrying

The ability to parry is one of the most significant additions to the wallcrawlers' arsenal, but it can be tough to get the timing right at first. Here's a tip: pay attention to the color of the spider-sense indicator, not the animation of the attack. Some attack animations make it look like the hit is coming sooner or later than you thought, but the ring above the enemy's head won't ever let you down. Just press L1 when it turns red. If you're having a hard time seeing it, you can change the color in the accessibility settings.

The 7th Guest is a 1993 puzzle adventure game that was released on PCs in 1993, just a few months before Myst. It was an early instance of a fully modeled 3D location, and its use of FMV actors for its cast felt like you were looking into the future of video games. It received a few underwhelming sequels and other adaptions, but The 7th Guest VR marks arguably its biggest and boldest reimagining. Effectively a remake, this version of the game takes the familiar locations and story and adds in new puzzles and new performances. Considering the original game (and this remake) is about exploring a spooky house and solving puzzles, it feels at home in VR. You can watch Wes LeBlanc and me check out the game below.

For a whole lot more on The 7th Guest, you can read our oral history of the game right here. You can also take a look at this translated interview between Mario and Zelda creator, Shigeru Miyamoto, and Spirited Away director, Hayao Miyazaki, from the early 90s where Miyamoto called the game "inspiring".

Disney and developer Dlala Studios announced Disney Illusion Island in 2022, and it immediately shot up high on my list of games to play this year. It did so for several reasons – its beautifully realized visuals, top-notch voice acting, and, of course, the potential to play as some of my favorite characters in a Metroidvania-esque adventure. That wasn't all, though; The snippets of composer David Housden's score in the reveal trailer indicated this team was on to something. 

It was clear from the first listen that Housden and Dlala put a lot of effort into making Illusion Island sound like Disney. What's more, it replicated not just the broader stroke that anyone can hear and go, "Oh, that sounds like Disney music," but instead created something wholly original that simultaneously sounded like the backtrack to decades of shorts and films starring Mickey Mouse. And I was right about that snippet of score in the reveal trailer because when I played the final game earlier this summer – read Game Informer’s Illusion Island review here – I was humming along the entire time. It features a fantastic score, one of my favorites of the year, so I couldn't turn down an opportunity to interview Housden, the game's composer.

Video game analyst group Circana has released its September 2023 U.S. video game market highlights and in it, the company reveals that developer Bethesda Game Studios' Starfield was the best-selling game last month, which is the month it launched. And after just six weeks on the market, Starfield is already the seventh best-selling game of the year. February's Hogwarts Legacy remains in the top spot. 

Starfield hit Xbox and PC on September 6 and while its Xbox Game Pass release surely helped it become the biggest launch ever for a Bethesda game with more than 6 million players, Circana's data tracks dollar sales. This means Starfield was the best-selling game of September despite Xbox Game Pass. Circana executive director Mat Piscatella says on Twitter that, "Starfield ranked as the best-selling title of the month across both Xbox and PC, with PC being its lead sales platform." 

Developer Blizzard Entertainment has revealed its first-ever musical collaboration for its free-to-play hero shooter, Overwatch 2, and it's with K-Pop group, Le Sserafim. The two parties have worked together for an upcoming music video for the K-Pop group as well as in-game Overwatch 2 content. 

Le Sserafim is comprised of five performers: Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae. The group and Blizzard are working together for a video for Le Sserafim's next single, "Perfect Night," and it will debut on October 26 at 9 p.m. PT. The collaboration also includes a Le Sserafim-inspired custom game mode for Overwatch 2 and exclusive in-game items like hero skins. More details about the in-game events will arrive on October 30, according to Blizzard, but the content goes live for players on November 1. 

"We're extremely excited to be working with Le Sserafim for our game's first musical artist collaboration," Overwatch general manager Walter Kong writes in a press release. "Like the heroes of Overwatch, the Le Sserafim members are amazing as individuals, but unstoppable when they come together." 

I've been playing a ton of Super Mario Bros. Wonder over the last couple of weeks (in addition to the hands-on I had as a part of our current cover story), and the review embargo has officially lifted. However, due to restrictive embargo guidelines that don't allow us to discuss large portions of the game, we have opted to hold our final review until the game is available for purchase. With that said, I did want to share some brief thoughts within the confines of the embargo.

I've loved my time with Super Mario Bros. Wonder. The game is aptly named for a title that instills a strong sense of wonder around every corner. Each stage introduces new gimmicks with appropriate and well-designed on-ramps, then expands on them in fun and unique ways. I truly never knew what I was getting into each time I went into a new course, and I was almost universally delighted once I started making my way through. 

More than two years after its initial reveal trailer, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is almost here. Due out October 20 exclusively on PlayStation 5, developer Insomniac Games' sequel to 2018's Marvel's Spider-Man and 2020's Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is a game we thoroughly enjoyed – read Game Informer's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 review here – and we're excited for others to play it. Insomniac is too, but in a new statement, it tells players that while the game will be playable on physical discs in full, it recommends downloading the day one patch. 

More specifically, the download update is Version 1.001.002 and it will be available at launch this Friday. Digital owners don't need to worry about this as the patch will be installed as part of the pre-loaded version of Marvel's Spider-Man 2. 

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Sega
Developer: Arzest, Sonic Team
Release: October 17, 2023
Rating: Everyone

Sonic Superstars marks a step back to the Genesis-era 2D platforming that put the series on the map and a leap forward by letting three more friends join the adventure. While the former largely succeeds in providing an enjoyable nostalgic experience, the latter fails to allow partners to have the same amount of fun. 

As either Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, or Amy, you spin dash your way through a brand new batch of beautifully designed zones. From the twisting vines and lush greenery of Speed Jungle to the gilded architecture of the Golden Capital, Sonic Superstars pops with bright colors and whimsical designs for the new gallery of badniks. Unfortunately, the soundtrack doesn’t have the same highs as some of the previous 2D entries. The music is not bad, but outside of a couple of tracks, most tunes are unmemorable and don’t hit that next gear of toe-tapping goodness I’ve come to expect from the franchise. 

Remedy Entertainment is releasing Alan Wake 2 next week, on October 27, and while there's still time to replay (or play for the first time) Alan Wake before its sequel is out, October is a stacked month, and time might not be on your side. Alan Wake: Flashback might help, though, as it's a new Unreal Editor for Fortnite experience that gives players the chance to relive the mysteries and events of the first Alan Wake, albeit presumably in a much shorter and more streamlined fashion. 

Epic Games says Alan Wake: Flashback is based on the first Alan Wake game and reimagines Remedy's 2010 action-thriller in Fortnite. "Troubled author Alan Wake embarks on a desperate search for his missing wife, Alice," a press release reads. "Following her mysterious disappearance from the Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls, he discovers pages of a horror story he has supposedly written, but has no memory of." 

Platform: iOS, Android
Publisher: NetherRealm Studios, Warner Bros. Games
Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Release: October 17, 2023

Hot on the heels of Mortal Kombat 1's launch, NetherRealm is already exploring new corners of the Mortal Kombat universe through a new mobile title, Mortal Kombat: Onslaught. This hero-collection, squad-based RPG lets you build teams of iconic fighters from the history of Mortal Kombat to take on various challenges. Ahead of its launch today, we had a chance to see the game in action to know what to expect from this new take on the long-running series.

Earlier this year, developer Gamious and publisher Whitethorn Digital revealed Lake's holiday DLC, Season's Greetings. Now, Game Informer can exclusively reveal that Lake's Season's Greetings DLC goes live next month. 

More specifically, Season's Greetings hits Lake on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on November 15. It will be paid DLC, but the team has not yet announced a price. Alongside this news, Gamious has released a new trailer for Season's Greetings that you can watch below: 

As you can see in the trailer above, Season's Greetings brings players to a snow-covered Providence Oaks during 1985's holiday season, set one year before the original story of Lake. In it, players control Thomas Weiss, an amiable mail carrier and father to Lake protagonist Meredith Weiss. 

Upon its announcement as the grand finale of the June 2023 Nintendo Direct, Super Mario Bros. Wonder declared the series’ return to the 2D side-scrolling genre with a colorful bang. The game signals the return to Mario’s roots from a core gameplay perspective, but it’s more connected to Mario’s past than most people initially realized. While many remember the creative level design, expressive art style, and discovery of the game-changing Wonder Flowers, the most memorable moment came at the end of the announcement trailer, as everyone’s favorite plumber grabbed a never-before-seen item and transformed into an elephant. That moment told everyone that Super Mario Bros. Wonder, despite taking the series back to its 2D origins, is trying bold, new things unlike anything the franchise has seen before. Read more...

Reviewed on: Xbox Series X/S
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC
Publisher: Milestone S.r.l.
Developer: Milestone S.r.l.
Release: October 19, 2023
Rating: Everyone

As a speed-focused arcade racer, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is a joy thanks to the emphasis on going fast, collecting Hot Wheels cars spanning decades, and crafting your own tracks. However, it doesn’t quite have the variety of tracks to keep it fresh throughout, and the story mode is an innocuous affair, leading to middle-of-the-pack results instead of the checkered flag it was chasing.

While it may not be as technical as most racing sims or as silly as the Mario Kart series, Turbocharged doesn’t lack charm. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 drops you onto tracks in a backyard, on a golf course, and in other real-world locations that recreate the memories of a kid who could dream up their masterpiece track and then put it together wherever they’d like. Loop-de-loops, golf balls, giant spiders, and tight corners provide a chaotic and enjoyable challenge.

The Analogue Pocket is a retro handheld marvel, capable of playing your favorite Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games on its beautiful screen with modern sensibilities and technology – simply put, it's the best way to play a Game Boy game, assuming you can get your hands on the always-sold-out device. Now, Analogue is targeting the Nintendo 64 catalog with its next device, the Analogue 3D. 

Analogue has shared an image of what appears to be the device, although the full look at it is obscured. You can view it at the top of the article, but it's below as well:

An image released alongside today's news teases what appears to be a sleek, black, and faithful recreation of the Nintendo 64 controller. You can check it out below: 

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
Platform: PlayStation 5
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Insomniac Games
Release: October 20, 2023

Being the sequel to two excellent games is not a guarantee of success. But it does set strong expectations. Thankfully, Spider-Man 2 meets and exceeds those expectations, providing uniformly stellar superhero action characterized by blazing-fast combat, smart mission design, and regular injections of thrilling set-pieces. Behind all that excitement, it also houses a fervent and heartfelt commentary on second chances, rehabilitation, and redemption. As a result, even in its dark moments, Spider-Man 2 delivers a wholesome and optimistic adventure rooted in joy.

After two preceding games establishing the two leads on their own, Spider-Man 2 weaves back and forth between the two wall-crawlers, with unique relationship threads and powers that set them apart, but core story beats and central abilities that unite the experience. Rather than a distraction, the switching dynamic (sometimes dictated by story, and sometimes by player choice) keeps things fresh and often provides exciting cliffhangers or action change-ups at critical moments. The tag-team dynamic is rewarding, and both heroes get the chance to shine.

This week on All Things Nintendo, it's a slow news week, so we just jump right into Marcus Stewart's Sonic Superstars review. Following an in-depth discussion, we throw to an interview recorded this past summer with Sonic Team's chief brand and business officer, Ivo Gerscovich. Finally, the show wraps up with a Definitive Ranking featuring 2D platformers and an eShop Gem that came out this week.

If you'd like to follow Brian on social media, you can do so on his Instagram/Threads @BrianPShea or Twitter @BrianPShea. You can follow Marcus on Twitter: @MarcusStewart7.

The All Things Nintendo podcast is a weekly show where we celebrate, discuss, and break down all the latest games, news, and announcements from the industry's most recognizable name. Each week, Brian is joined by different guests to talk about what's happening in the world of Nintendo. Along the way, they'll share personal stories, uncover hidden gems in the eShop, and even look back on the classics we all grew up with. A new episode hits every Friday!

Nintendo revealed in August that longtime Mario voice actor Charles Martinet would no longer be voicing Mario. Amongst speculation of a different voice actor for Mario in Super Mario Bros. Wonder trailers, Nintendo also announced Martinet was not jumpman's voice in the game, leaving fans to wonder who the new voice is. After months of internet sleuthing, guesswork, and more, Nintendo has confirmed that Genshin Impact voice actor Kevin Afghani is the new voice of Mario. 

"The voice actor's name is Kevin Afghani," Nintendo tells Game Informer in a statement.

Afghani celebrated the news with a tweet today about how excited he is to voice both Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. 

"Incredibly proud to have voiced Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Thanks to Nintendo for inviting me into the Flower Kingdom."

Incredibly proud to have voiced Mario and Luigi in Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Thanks to Nintendo for inviting me into the Flower Kingdom!

— Kevin Afghani (@KevinAfghani) October 13, 2023

Afghani's credits include Arnold in the aforementioned Genshin Impact, Raditz in Dragon Ball R&R, and Short Detective, General, and Grunt in the Secret History of Cuphead short.

You are a banshee of speed, a spark crawling its way up a fuse, a disaster waiting to happen. Until –

A scarecrow makes the mistake of turning into a man right before you, a shotgun-toting farmer with the barrel pointed at your face. You greet him with your own shotgun, double-barreled, finger on the trigger.

You eclipse him in a bear hug of bullets and sound. Above you, the sky – already the hue of a bloodhound’s fever dream – is somehow even redder. One moment later, and you’re already gone.

This is Dusk, one of a handful of recent games harkening back to the Doom and Quake era and the invention of the FPS genre itself. Over the past few years, “boomer shooters” like Dusk, Amid Evil, and Ultrakill have awakened a hunger long thought dormant, and publisher New Blood Interactive is on a mission to ensure we remain well-fed.

Knee-Deep In The Dead

In 1993, a shotgun blast thundered throughout millions of American bedrooms. It echoed across college dormitories and office cubicles, casting firework bursts of light onto the faces of whoever witnessed it.

The blast was so powerful it survived a journey across the globe and back, withstanding entire generations without fading away. It afflicted any who heard it with a strange sickness: The fanatical desire to bully digital devils into piles of bloody gibs (i.e., pulpy chunks of gore).

In short, they discovered Doom.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Sonic Superstars have a lot in common. Both feature 2D gameplay that veers close to the original vision for the franchise. Both offer co-op and competitive multiplayer options. Both deliver modernized visuals. And both give players new gameplay concepts and abilities that expand the original franchise vision in unprecedented ways. However, perhaps the most shocking thing these two games have in common is when they release.

In the 1990s, Sonic the Hedgehog was the sole series able to briefly challenge Mario's claim to the platforming throne, and next week may prove the series' fates are forever intertwined. Sonic Superstars arrives on all consoles (including Switch) on October 17, just days before Super Mario Bros. Wonder lands exclusively on Switch on October 20.

"I think it's an interesting coincidence," Super Mario Bros. Wonder producer Takashi Tezuka says. "We've been creating 2D action games for a long time and we, of course, want as many players as possible to enjoy those games. We're looking forward to as many people as possible having the opportunity to play these 2D side-scrolling games, Mario and otherwise."

With Mortal Kombat 1 out in the wild we're revisiting the entry that set the series on its current trajectory: 2011's Mortal Kombat (aka MK 9). Join us as we take a bloody journey through the game's genre-defining story campaign.  

After nearly two years since the initial announcement, Microsoft has finally and officially acquired Activision Blizzard for a colossal $69 billion. This means that Activision Blizzard, which is the company behind franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo, is now part of Xbox's first-party umbrella. As a result, Xbox's stable of IPs and game franchises has become much larger, welcoming the likes of Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and more. 

While many know Activision Blizzard as the company behind industry juggernauts like Call of Duty and Overwatch, the company is home to plenty more games. In light of today's news, we've decided to create an easy place to see every Activision Blizzard game franchise that Xbox now owns. 

Update, 11:13 a.m. ET, 10/13/23:

Earlier today, Microsoft officially acquired Activision Blizzard for nearly $69 billion. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick revealed he will remain as CEO through the end of the year after Xbox head Phil Spencer asked him to stay to help with the company transition. While staying through the end of the year presumes Kotick will depart from the company in 2024, that remained technically unknown.

However, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier says that Kotick will depart from Activision Blizzard, a company he took over 33 years ago, on January 1, 2024. 

As the Microsoft-Activision deal closes, Bobby Kotick says he'll stay on as CEO through the end of the year. On January 1, 2024, Kotick will depart the company he took over 33 years ago — a massive change for the video game industry

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier) October 13, 2023

Game Informer has reached out to Activision Blizzard to ask if Kotick will leave on January 1, 2024, and will update this story if we learn more. 

Sonic Superstars sprints to stores next week, and while I’ve wrapped up the main adventure and partaken in the other activities, such as Battle Mode, one big highlight eludes my evaluation: co-op. 

One of Superstars’ biggest selling points is to take down Eggman with up to three other players. Unfortunately, co-op is restricted to local play. Living alone and working remotely makes couch co-op a tricky proposition, and the only way for me to test this is by using the PS5’s Share Play feature with another editor, but that feature won’t work until the game launches next Tuesday. Until I can get a sense of what it’s like to take down badniks with another person, my general thoughts on Sonic Superstars is that if you’re looking for a Genesis-era throwback, Sonic Team and Arzest have nailed it – for better and worse. 

Controlling Sonic and his pals perfectly captures the feel of his classic adventures. As a Genesis kid once obsessed with Sonic, the platforming physics feel on point, allowing childhood muscle memory to take hold. Each character is enjoyable to use, with Amy being the standout due to her ability to double jump and her hammer that destroys enemies. If you were worried about Superstars being a repeat of Sonic 4, you can rest easy. However, that also means old annoyances are preserved, such as the pain of slowly regaining running momentum and the inability to stop on a dime. Basically, any likes or dislikes you have about old-school Sonic platforming return in full force in Superstars. 

It's official: Microsoft has acquired Activision Blizzard, the company behind franchises like Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo, and World of Warcraft, for a colossal $69 billion. 

Earlier this morning, the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority approved Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The CMA was the last hurdle for Microsoft's acquisition after it received approval in more than 40 countries and regions, including the U.S. earlier this summer. The deadline for Microsoft to close this deal was October 18, but reports indicated the company was planning to finalize it today, October 13. That has now happened, and Activision Blizzard is officially part of Xbox's first-party studio umbrella.

Xbox released the video below to celebrate its acquisition: 

After the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority blocked Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Call of Duty and Diablo maker Activision Blizzard earlier this year over cloud gaming concerns, Microsoft brought a new deal to the table. In this new deal, Ubisoft would get the rights to Activision Blizzard cloud game streaming in the U.K. for 15 years, theoretically quelling the CMA's concerns. The CMA granted Microsoft a preliminary approval last month and now, a few weeks later, the U.K. regulatory agency has finally given Microsoft the full approval it needs. 

Ever since Nintendo's flagship franchise burst onto the scene nearly 40 years ago, the Super Mario Bros. franchise has maintained its popularity, relevance, and status since its revolutionary debut entry. But it's not alone; the Legend of Zelda series, which started around that time, also remains a genre leader all these decades later. During our discussions with Nintendo during our Super Mario Bros. Wonder cover story (and other interviews earlier this year), we tried to drill into why these franchises – in particular, the Mario franchise – have maintained their popularity and level of quality while so many other series have struggled to hold onto it for even a fraction of the time.

According to Mario series producer Takashi Tezuka, the tenure of the staff involved is a key part of keeping series like Mario and The Legend of Zelda as industry leaders. "Many of them have been working on these franchises for a long time," he says. "For example, Mr. [Eiji] Aonuma became a part of the Zelda team at some point and has been there throughout, and for Mario, it's myself! I think something that's very important to the Mario series, of course, is the level-design philosophy."

In this week's episode of The Game Informer Show, the crew breaks down our Lords of the Fallen review and subsequently rips into publishers for naming video game sequels the same name as the original game, like "Lords of the Fallen" instead of "Lords of the Fallen 2." After, Alex talks about why action puzzler Cocoon nails player feedback, and then we dive into the anals of our 2023 gaming backlog, highlighting releases we want to revisit or play for the first time before Game Informer's Game of the Year discussions in December.

Finally, our Listener Questions segment returns, discussing treating carpal tunnel and answering specific questions like, "What happened to the promised 120FPS console releases?"

Listen to Game Informer's Lords of the Fallen Review Discussion:

Follow us on social media: Alex Van Aken (@itsVanAken), Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7), Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes).

Reviewed on: PC
Platform: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Publisher: CI Games
Developer: Hexworks
Release: October 13, 2023
Rating: Mature

Lords of the Fallen captured my interest in its early hours more than its 2014 predecessor of the same name ever did. But despite a solid gameplay foundation, stunning world, and unique two-realm mechanic, by the time I reached credits after 48 hours, I was overjoyed to be done. What begins as a remarkable soft reboot unravels by the halfway point due to pacing issues, abundant repetition, and lackluster level design, unfortunately leaving a disappointing back half to slog through. 

Assassin's Creed Mirage hit PlayStation, Xbox, and PC last week and both critics and fans alike are quite happy with the series return to its roots. Unlike Assassin's Creed Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, in which Basim is featured, Mirage is a smaller, more condensed adventure, unlike the prior open-world RPGs. Now, roughly a week later, Ubisoft has revealed that Mirage's player count is in line with Origins and Odyssey. Plus, Mirage is Ubisoft's biggest new-gen launch in terms of sales. 

Thank you all for joining us on Basim's journey in 9th Century Baghdad!

We are thrilled by the response from the community and for embracing our homage to the roots of the AC franchise. #AssassinsCreed pic.twitter.com/KnL2YxGION

Platinum Games co-founder Hideki Kamiya announced last month he was departing from the studio. Having founded it in 2006 in Osaka, Japan, later working on games like Bayonetta and The Wonderful 101, he left his reason for leaving up in the air. He simply said, "This came after a lot of consideration based on my own beliefs" and that he feels "this outcome is for the best." Now, just a few weeks later, Kamiya has started a YouTube channel – aptly called "Hideki Kamiya Channel" – and in his first video, he reveals he's not retiring, as first reported by VideoGamesChronicle. 

In the video, we see Kamiya presumably leaving his office with a box of knick-knacks and more in hand before leaving in a Lamborghini. In the first video, he talks about how he's currently unemployed, joking that people need to subscribe to his channel. VideoGamesChronicle reports that Kamiya says he actually hasn't been to work for a while.